Odisha – Tribals protest police atrocities, illegal arrests

Muniguda: Scores of tribals of Niyamgiri Surakhya Samiti (NSS), an outfit fighting for the protection of the hill, Monday staged a demonstration before the local police station here protesting alleged police atrocities.

They also submitted a memorandum containing their several demands addressed to the Governor through tehsildar Tapan Kumar Satpathy. The difficulties of the Dongria Kondhs and other primitive tribes residing near Niyamgiri hills have been aggravated due to the rampant mining in the hills, the tribals alleged.

Even as they have been seeking the protection of their culture, tradition, language and environment, corrupt government officials with the help of police administration and CRPF jawans are on a witch-hunt to suppress their voices by torturing them physically and mentally, NSS president Dadhi Pusika said while submitting the memo.

They demanded disciplinary action against errant police officials and called for peace in the hilly region. The list of atrocities mentioned in the memo included – imprisonment of Haribandhu Kadraka on false cases, mental torture of Drika Kadraka of Dhamanpanga village and abetting his suicide, killing of Manda Kadraka, an educated youth of Dangamati and physical and mental torture of Nepal Takri of Denguni village.

It is also alleged that Padmanav Choudhury, a member of the outfit, was tortured inside the SP’s office. Police had made him sign on a plain paper and threatened him with murder in the event of his participation in any upcoming protest march against the administration.

Besides, Dasaru Kadraka, who was the convener of NSS’s youth forum, was arrested a few days ago for his alleged involvement in Maoist activities, the protesters said.

Over a hundred of men and women of tribal community led by Lingaraj Azad, Lad Sikka, Niranjan Acharya, Padmanav Choudhury and Samba Hikka took part in the protest wielding traditional weapons. PNN